Method and System for Providing Tiered Access to Communication Network Resources

ABSTRACT

Methods and systems automatically allocate cellular communication network resources to emergency response personnel during emergency situations which are detected by call volumes exceeding a predetermined maximum. Access to cellular communication network resources is provided by dedicating a portion of communication channels to emergency response personnel use. By reserving whole communication channels for emergency communication purposes, emergency personnel are able to both initiate and receive calls from both other mobile devices as well as conventional landline telephone stations. Qualified emergency response personnel can preregistered their phones and be assigned personal identification numbers to enable access to allocated network resources. Users can also be registered “on the fly.”

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/273,146 entitled “Method and System for Providing Tiered Access toCommunication Network Resources” filed on Nov. 18, 2008 that issued asU.S. Pat. No. ______, which claims the benefit of priority to U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 60/990,938 filed Nov. 29, 2007, U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 61/032,010 filed Feb. 27, 2008, andU.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/038,451 filed Mar. 21, 2008,the entire contents of each of which are hereby incorporated byreference for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to cellular telephonetechnologies and more particularly to a system and method for providingemergency response personnel tiered priority access to cellularcommunication network resources.

BACKGROUND

The popularity of cellular communication devices has dramaticallyincreased in recent years. This increase in popularity is due in largepart to the advancement of technology and the decreasing cost ofequipment and services. Many, if not most, people own or use a mobiledevice with cellular communication capability on a daily basis. As aresult of the growing customer base, cellular communication serviceproviders have responded by dramatically increasing their infrastructureand network coverage so as to support the increased demand.

Cellular communication service providers have endeavored to improvetheir cellular communication networks by increasing bandwidth toaccommodate the increasing number of cellular communication customers.Nevertheless, there is still not enough bandwidth to accommodate everymobile device user at the same time. Indeed, the cellular communicationnetwork's basic design is premised on the assumption that not everymobile device user will attempt to access the cellular communicationnetwork at the same time. Thus, cellular communication networks aresized and deployed to accommodate a subset of mobile device users at anygiven moment. In other words, cellular communication networks are notintended to permit every mobile device user to access the network at thesame time. Instead, service providers assume that only a relativelysmall percentage of its mobile device users use the cellularcommunication network at the same time.

Ordinarily, service provider assumptions are correct and cellularcommunications networks accommodate all mobile device users. However,events can sometimes prompt people to reach for their mobile devices atthe same time, overloading the network's capacity. For example, if anaccident occurs during rush hour, a dozen witnesses may call the policeat the same time to report the accident, while the resulting trafficdelay prompts hundreds of others to call the office, their families ortheir appointments to say they will be late. In instances where thenumber of subscribers accessing the cellular communication networkexceeds the network's capacity, some subscribers may be denied serviceand callers trying to reach subscribers within the overloaded cell zonewill receive a message to the effect that “all circuits are busy, tryagain later.”

In most everyday instances, the average mobile device call is truly noturgent. As such, it is normally only a minor inconvenience when a mobiledevice call is not connected through on the first attempt. However, thismay not be true for all mobile device calls. For example, emergencyresponse personnel attempting to respond to a traffic accident may needto send and receive mobile device calls in order to render assistance.In such cases and for such users the reliability of their mobile devicesmay literally be a matter of life and death. Yet it is human nature toreach for the mobile device in an emergency situation, the very instantwhen emergency responders need reliable communications. Thus, cellularcommunication networks should be able to provide emergency responsepersonnel with reliable cellular communications even when heavy callvolume exceeds the capacity of the cellular communication network.

One response to this need is Wireless Priority Access (WPA) whichprovides emergency response personnel with priority access to commercialcellular communication networks during times of emergency. In order touse WPA, emergency response personnel must pre-register their mobiledevices with their cellular communication network service provider.Then, if the pre-registered emergency response personnel user is unableto access the cellular communication network because of increased callvolume, the user can dial *272+Destination Number and push the SEND key(Example: *272 703 650 0100+SEND). The cellular communication networkequipment will recognize the *272 prefix as a WPA access request andsearch a database for the mobile device's unique identification numberto confirm that the mobile device is entitled to priority access. If themobile device is properly authorized, the call will be given priority inthe network queue, enabling the user to complete the call.

The WPA system is not without its problems, however. For one, WPA ismeant only for key leadership personnel and their direct supportingstaff who are in national security and emergency response leadershippositions. In order to be authorized for WPA, the mobile device mustbelong to/be in control of a user who is one of the following: 1)Executive Leadership and Policy Makers; 2) Disaster Response/MilitaryCommand and Control; 3) Public Health, Safety, and Law EnforcementCommand; 4) Public Services/Utilities and Public Welfare; and 5)Disaster Recovery. Further, a WPA authorized user's position in the callqueue will depend on the user's position in the hierarchy above.

From the listing above, it can be seen that WPA is unavailable to mostemergency response personnel. As a result many “on the ground” emergencypersonnel may be left without cellular communication access just as ifthey are members of the general public. Yet the emergency personnel whoare the first to respond to an emergency situation are the ones who needreliable communication access the most. Thus, WPA fails to satisfy themost common and likely situations in which preferred access to cellularcommunications networks is required.

Another problem with WPA is that the system only provides one way accessto cellular communication networks. That is to say, WPA only allowsauthorized mobile devices to place a call in times of increased callvolume by placing its call request ahead in the queue. Those trying tocall an authorized mobile device will hear that the networks are busy.Additionally, the priority access in the queue only insures that a callinitiated by the WPA authorized mobile device to a landline basedtelephone stations, denying use of mobile devices for coordination ofon-site personnel. These limitations undercut the value of mobiledevices as ubiquitous mobile communications devices.

SUMMARY

The various embodiment methods and systems automatically provideemergency response personnel with tiered priority access to cellularcommunication networks during situations that create periods ofincreased call volume. Embodiments disclosed herein provide access tocellular communication network resources by dedicating a portion ofcommunication channels to emergency response personnel. Access to thecellular communication network resources may be provided to bothinitiate and receive calls from other mobile devices as well asconventional landline telephone stations. Emergency response personnelwho have not pre-registered for such access may obtain such emergencyaccess “on the fly.” Further, embodiment systems and methods maydemobilize cellular communication network resources as an emergencysituation is alleviated and call volume returns to normal levels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitutepart of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments of theinvention. Together with the general description given above and thedetailed description given below, the drawings serve to explain featuresof the invention.

FIG. 1 is a system block diagram illustrating call volume requests madeto a cellular communication network under normal conditions.

FIG. 2 is a system block diagram illustrating call volume requests madeto a cellular communication network under an emergency situationcondition.

FIG. 3 is a system block diagram illustrating call volume requests madeto a cellular communication network under an emergency situationcondition when a first responder arrives on the scene.

FIG. 4 is a system block diagram illustrating call volume requests madeto a cellular communication network as additional emergency responsepersonnel arrive on the scene.

FIG. 5 is a system block diagram illustrating call volume requests madeto a cellular communication network after an emergency situation hasbeen alleviated.

FIG. 6 is a process flow diagram of an embodiment method to manage TPAoperations on a network.

FIG. 7 is a process flow diagram of another embodiment method to manageTPA operations on a network.

FIG. 8 is an example hierarchical table of classes of users givenpriority access to emergency communication resources.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments will be described in detail with reference to theaccompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numberswill be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.References made to particular examples and implementations are forillustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of theinvention or the claims.

As used herein, the term “mobile device” refers to any one of variouscellular telephones, personal data assistants (PDA's), palm-topcomputers, laptop computers with wireless modems, wireless electronicmail receivers (e.g., the Blackberry® and Treo® devices), multimediaInternet enabled cellular telephones (e.g., the iPhone®), and similarpersonal electronic devices. A mobile device may include a programmableprocessor and memory. In a preferred embodiment, the mobile device is acellular handheld device (e.g., a mobile device), which can communicatevia a cellular telephone communications network.

A high priority in responding to any emergency or disaster situation isestablishing effective communications. In large scale emergency ordisaster (both manmade and natural) situations, it is paramount tomaintain communications between all first responders and emergencypersonnel in order to respond, manage, and control the emergencysituation effectively. In the absence of effective communication amongfirst responders and other emergency personnel, resources may not beeffectively mobilized to the areas which need the resources most. Evenin minor emergency situations (e.g., traffic accidents and fires), firstresponders must be able to call on support assets and coordinate withother services (e.g., public utilities, hospitals, etc.).

With the ubiquity of mobile device ownership and usage, emergencycommunication via mobile devices using commercial cellular communicationnetworks often are the most efficient and effective means to mobilizeemergency response personnel and resources. Enabling mobile devices toprovide effective emergency communications obviates the technicalchallenges and expense of coordinating radio frequencies among variousfirst responder agencies (e.g., police, fire, ambulance, FEMA, publicutilities, etc.). Also, qualified first responders to an accident whoare off duty or not ordinarily equipped with radios (e.g., doctors,nurses, retired police, or military personnel) will have or can quicklyborrow a mobile device.

Emergency communications over cellular communication networks is notwithout problems, however. As discussed above, cellular communicationnetworks (“networks”) are designed to accommodate access requests fromonly a fraction of the total number of mobile devices in a particularcell. At times of emergency or crisis, network resources may becomeovertaxed when predictable human responses to the situation prompt anextraordinary number of mobile device users within a particular cell toaccess the network at the same time. Mobile device users may beattempting to alert emergency personnel of the emergency situation (suchas a 911 emergency call) or to alert friends or family members that theuser is safe despite being in the area of an emergency situation. Someusers may be transmitting images of the emergency condition (fire,accident, etc.) to news services or friends. In a wide scale situation,emergency responders using mobile devices for emergency communicationswill add to the call volume. Regardless, the predictable increase incall volume during an emergency situation can overwhelm a commercialcellular communications network, particularly in the cell zoneencompassing the emergency, thus rendering the network unreliable foremergency response personnel communication usage.

To illustrate the problem, consider the case of a traffic accidentoccurring on the highway. FIG. 1 illustrates a cellular communicationnetwork under normal conditions. As illustrated, multiple mobile devices101(a-g) are wirelessly connected to the cellular communication networkvia a base station 102 servicing a particular cell 100. The base station102 connects via a base station controller (BSC)/radio networkcontroller (RNC) 103 to a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) 104. The MSC 104contains both a public switched telephone network (PSTN) interface andan internet interface. Calls made to and from any of the multiple mobiledevices 101(a-g) may be routed via conventional landlines over the PSTN105 or Internet 106 using Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP). Callsbetween conventional landline telephone stations and any one of mobiledevices 101(a-g) may be routed over via the PSTN or Internet 106. Callsbetween mobile devices 101(a-g) may be routed over the PSTN or Internet106 to similar MSC 104, BSC/RNC 103, and base station 102 located nearthe initiating or intended mobile device 101(a-g).

FIG. 1 illustrates the typical situation in which a fraction of themobile devices within a cell access the network at the same time. Forexample, FIG. 1 shows seven separate mobile devices 101(a-g) locatedwithin the cell, only three of which (101 c, 101 d, and 101 e) arecurrently accessing the network. Thus, the network is operating wellwithin its operating parameters and all requests to the network frommobile devices 101(a-g) are granted. It is noted that all mobile devices101(a-g) that are turned on but not in use continue to communicate withthe base station 102 via a link management channel (not illustrated).The network uses these communications to keep track of the mobiledevices 101(a-g) within each cell to support call routing. However, theamount of information communicated between all mobile devices 101(a-g)and the base station 102 for such tracking purposes is small(particularly in contrast to the bandwidth required for a normaltelephone call), so the number of on-but-inactive mobile devices 101within a cell normally will not overwhelm the network.

This normal functioning of the cellular network can be disrupted when,for example, an accident stops traffic, prompting delayed drivers tosimultaneously use their mobile devices to alert emergency personnel ofthe traffic accident (e.g., emergency 911 call, etc.) or contactfriends, family members, business associates, etc., to inform them ofthe delay. FIG. 2 illustrates a cellular communication network in suchan emergency situation. In this illustration, a truck 107 in thevicinity of base station 102 is on fire. Predictably, the truck 107 fireprompts most of the mobile devices 101(a-g) users within the vicinity toaccess the cellular network at approximately the same time. This causesan overload condition in the cell by exceeding the bandwidth of thecarriers on the local base station 102. Consequently, some of the mobiledevices 101 b, 101 f will not be granted access to the network, and newnetwork access requests may be denied until communication channels openup. This communication bottleneck may worsen the emergency situation bydelaying the response by emergency personnel and denying firstresponders with effective communication over the network.

This problem is exacerbated in disaster situations involving manyvictims and large areas, such as wildfires, floods, hurricanes, tornadosand terrorist attacks. As witnessed during the September 11 attack andHurricane Katrina, large disasters can destroy part of the cellular andlandline telephone network infrastructure, leaving the remaining networkmore vulnerable to overload conditions. Network overloads duringdisaster events are particularly troublesome since such situationsnaturally involve widespread confusion and require close coordinationamong a large number of emergency and relief personnel.

If a disaster situation will persist long enough (e.g., a flood orhurricane situation), additional cellular communication capacity can beadded to a region by activating a deployable cellular communicationsystem to provide emergency response teams and personnel with theability to communicate. Such recently developed deployable units,referred to herein as a “switch on wheels,” can include a CDMA2000 basestation and switch, Land Mobile Radio (LMR) interoperability equipment,a satellite Fixed Service Satellite (FSS) for remote interconnection tothe Internet and PSTN, and, optionally, a source or remote electricalpower such as a gasoline or diesel powered generator. A more completedescription of an example deployable switch on wheels is provided inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/249,143, filed Oct. 10, 2008, theentire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference in theirentirety.

These switch on wheels are effectively mobile cellular base stationswhich may be deployed in a disaster area and operate as a cellular towerantenna. The switch on wheels sends and receives communication signalsfrom a plurality of mobile devices 101 and serves as a gateway portal tothe rest of the conventional communications infrastructure.Communications between the switch on wheels and a mobile device 101 isbroken down into packets for transport as a VOIP communication, and thentransmitted via satellite to a ground station outside the disaster areafrom which the call is forwarded through the telephone network to therecipient. Even with the added bandwidth provided by deployable switchon wheels, network overloads may still cause communication delay andfrustration to emergency response personnel.

To overcome such problems in the event of a national emergency, the WPAsystem was developed. Conventional WPA systems provide selectedemergency leadership with preemptive access to cellular communicationnetworks. However, conventional WPA systems do not permit calls made tothe mobile device of a registered WPA authority. In other words, whilemobile devices registered for WPA service may be given priority accessfor placing calls on the network, there are no provisions in the WPAsystem enabling those very same mobile devices to receive calls.Incoming calls to mobile devices in a command center may be just asimportant as outgoing calls. Also, conventional WPA systems assume thatif an authorized user needs to make a call, the call will be made fromtheir pre-registered mobile device. However, there may be instanceswhere the authorized personnel do not have their pre-registered mobiledevice or that mobile device has been damaged. Provisions must be madeto enable the authorized personnel access to an overloaded network.Also, emergency personnel who have not previously registered theirmobile device on the WPA system cannot access overloaded cellularcommunication networks “on the fly.” Many times, off duty, junior,volunteer emergency response personnel may be the first responders onthe scene on an incident. Such personnel may not be entitled toconventional WPA, which is designed to address the needs of theleadership. Thus, precisely the personnel who can quickly alleviate asituation given their proximity on the scene are likely notpre-registered and authorized for conventional WPA.

To overcome these limitations with conventional cellular communicationnetworks and conventional WPA, the various embodiments provide TieredPriority Access (TPA) capabilities to deliver Quality of Service(QoS)/Grade of Service (GOS) mobile device communications for firstresponders for calls both originated and terminated at a mobile handset.The various embodiments are particularly aimed at the needs of firstresponders at the very start of an emergency event.

TPA, as its name implies, aims to provide a tiered response to networkcapacity requirements. The tiered response mirrors typical communicationrequirements at the incident scene as more responders appear to helpresolve the problem(s) at hand. When an incident occurs, firstresponders are either at the incident scene or begin to respond. Firstresponders reporting to an incident initially arrive on scene in smallnumbers and then grow in direct response to the magnitude and severityof the incident.

To accommodate this predictable response, TPA enables an escalation andde-escalation process based upon call volume as first responders arriveon scene and then depart as the situation is restored to normal.

In overview, the various embodiments work as follows. During normaloperation, cellular call volume through particular base stations ismonitored to determine if the network is reaching capacity limits. Callvolume may be monitored based on current calls, attempts to access thenetwork, engaged bandwidth, or other methods known to cellular serviceproviders. Call volume may be locally monitored at the base station 102,at a BSC/RNC 103, or an MSC 104 or, in an embodiment, centrally, such asin a Network Operation Center (NOC). Such monitoring is at the cellularlevel, since normal emergency situations are most likely to impact oneor two cell zones, although TPA will work in a similar fashion in theevent of a widespread emergency. When call volume in a cell exceeds athreshold value preselected by the service provider and/or emergencyresponse planners, the system allocates one channel in the affected celltower to TPA operation. FIG. 2 illustrates a situation in which callvolume has exceeded a threshold indicating that TPA should beimplemented. As shown in FIG. 2, more mobile devices 101 in the cellsupported by the base station 102 are attempting to access the networkthan the network can connect. As a result, only some of the mobiledevices 101 a, 101 c, 101 d, 101 e and 101 g will be able to place orreceive calls (shown as solid black lightning bolts), while others willbe denied access to the network (shown as white lightning bolts). Inthis situation, call volume within the cell served by the base station102 has exceeded the threshold, so one of the communication channels onthe antenna will be allocated to TPA operation. However, the channelremains available to general public use until a TPA-authorized call isplaced. Thus, no change in the communication network is shown in FIG. 2.

The various embodiments address this overload condition in order toallow emergency personnel to use the cellular communication network asthey arrive on scene, as is illustrated in FIG. 3. When an emergencyresponder 108 arrives on scene, that individual may initiate a wirelesstelephone call. If a communications channel has been allocated to TPAoperation and the emergency responder's mobile device is pre-registeredas a TPA-authorized mobile device, the network can recognize thepre-registered TPA-authorized mobile device from the mobile device'sunique ID and recognize the call as a TPA call. The base station 102,BSC/RNC 103 or the MSC 104 then ensure the TPA call is connected. Ifnecessary, the bandwidth allocated to civilian mobile device users isreduced and one or more non-emergency calls may be dropped to enable theTPA call to be connected. This is illustrated in FIG. 3 as theconnection to mobile device 101 c has been dropped and denied furtheraccess to the network (illustrated as a white lightning bolt), and theTPA call (illustrated as a dashed black lightning bolt) by the emergencyresponder 108 is connected.

As additional emergency personnel 109 arrive on scene of the emergency,additional TPA calls may need to be connected as illustrated in FIG. 4.To accommodate the increase in TPA calls, additional network resourcesmay be automatically allocated to TPA operation in order to provideemergency responders reliable cellular communications. This isillustrated in FIG. 4 which shows connected TPA calls with police 108and fire 109 personnel (illustrated as a dashed black lightning bolts),while mobile devices 101 c and 101 d have been disconnect (illustratedas a white lightning bolts). Automatically allocating more resources toTPA use reduces the bandwidth available to the general public, whichwill limit general access to the network. However, emergency personnelare provided reliable access to the network so long as the heavy callvolume persists.

Eventually the emergency situation will be resolved and emergencypersonnel will begin to leave the scene. As conditions return to normal,civilian call volume should return to normal levels while the number ofemergency responders requiring TPA-access will also decline. This isillustrated in FIG. 5 which shows that the fire has been extinguishedand firemen have left the scene. As traffic begins returning to normalflow fewer general population mobile devices 101(a-g) access the networksimultaneously. With cellular communications returning to normal,cellular communications resources may be released from TPA operations,restoring the network to normal operations. As illustrated, theremaining emergency personnel 108 are connected to the cellularcommunication network in the normal fashion as the call volume hasdecreased to the point that TPA operation has been terminated.

When TPA operation is implemented on one or more communication channels,the cellular system (e.g., locally in the base station, BSC/RNC, or MSC,or in a central location such as a NOC) monitors incoming and outgoingcalls to determine whether any calls are coming from or directed toemergency response personnel. This may be accomplished by recognizing anoriginating or destination mobile device as being TPA pre-registeredmobile device. Alternatively, the system may recognize emergencyresponse personnel when they complete a special dialing procedure suchas the *272 dialing procedure described below.

Mobile devices can be pre-registered for TPA use by authorized users.This may be accomplished by registering as a qualified emergencyresponder (e.g., according to criteria established by governmentalauthorities) with the cellular network provider. As is well known in thetelecommunications art, all mobile devices 101 which access the cellularcommunication are assigned a unique identification number. In thepre-registration process, the cellular network provider stores themobile device's unique identification number in a database of authorizedTPA personnel. The cellular network provider may also issue theindividual a unique Personal Identification Number (PIN) for use inimplementing TPA preemption from a non-TPA mobile device as describedmore fully below.

If the emergency responder's mobile device is not pre-registered (suchas a borrowed phone), and the network is overload, the emergencyresponder may be unable to access network resources. In this situation,the emergency responder can activate the embodiment TPA from anon-registered mobile device 101 by first dialing *272 followed by apersonal identification number (PIN) and the telephone number. Thenearest base station 102 to the non-registered mobile device 101receives the transmission from the mobile device 101 indicating that themobile device is initiating a call. The base station 102 (or BSC/RNC 103connected to the receiving base station) recognizes the *272 specialdialing prefix and starts to route the call to the appropriatedestination. Alternatively, recognition and routing of the #272 dialingprefix may be accomplished at the MSC 104. This destination may be theclosest Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) or central location with adatabase of PINs. The *272 call is similarly processed at the BSC/RNC103 and later MSC 104 as the call proceeds through the communicationnetwork system. The BSC/RNC 103 and MSC 104 controlling the base stationantenna 102 and other associated antennae are programmed to recognizethe special dialing procedure using a database of pre-registered firstresponder PINs. This PIN database may be stored at the MSC 104 or atanother central location such as a NOC. If the received PIN matches arecord in the PIN database, the MSC 104 may immediately give the callerpreemptive access to the network just as if the call had been made froma TPA-registered mobile device as described above. In order to supportthis capability, a TPA-allocated channel reserves sufficient opencapacity during TPA-operation to receive and recognize *272 dialedcalls. If the communication channel is at capacity and a dialed numberdoes not begin with *272, the call is promptly dropped with no attemptto complete the call. However, if the dialed number begins with *272,the MSC 104 completes the process of comparing the entered PIN to thePIN database and temporarily registering the call as a TPA-authorizedmobile device. Non-TPA calls may be dropped if necessary in order toretain sufficient capacity to receive and recognize *272 calls.

While reference is made throughout the application to the MSC 104monitoring and providing the TPA capability, it should be appreciated byone of skill in the art that other elements of the communication systemmay implement the various method steps. These elements may include, butare not limited to equipment collocated with the base station antenna102, the BSC/RNC 103, or a NOC.

Once a mobile device has been recognized as a TPA-phone by means of the*272 dialing procedure, the MSC 104 will track the mobile device andcontinue to treat it as if it were a TPA-registered mobile device solong as at least one communication channel is allocated to TPAoperation. Using the unique identification number assigned to the mobiledevice, the MSC 104 will recognize subsequent calls from the mobiledevice as TPA-calls without the need for the user to repeat the *272dialing procedure. Similarly, the MSC 104 can identify incoming calls tothe first responder that should receive TPA preemption service. Thus, afirst responder 108 using a non-registered mobile device can registerthe mobile device “on the fly” when TPA is implemented for both incomingand outgoing calls by using the *272 dialing procedure to call onenumber (such as a dispatcher or “911”).

In an embodiment, a TPA authorized user with a PIN can authenticate anynumber of mobile devices using the *272 dialing procedure describedabove. This embodiment will enable first responders, such as apoliceman, fireman or emergency medical technician, to “deputize”volunteers, such as military personnel, doctors or retired policementhat they find on the scene, thus creating a reliable ad hoc emergencycommunication network. Since the temporary TPA-authorization of a mobiledevice established by the *272 dialing procedure is rescinded as allcommunication channels in the affected area return to normal operation(i.e. cease TPA operation), there is limited concern that the TPA systemcould be compromised for subsequent emergencies provided the authorizeduser's PIN is not revealed. Even if the PIN is revealed, the PIN can beeasily changed without significant impact since TPA implementation isexpected to be an infrequent, random and episodic event.

In a further embodiment, a user of a TPA-registered mobile device whodoes not have (or forgot) a PIN can register another phone “on the fly,”thereby “deputizing” it for the duration of the TPA event by simplyinitiating the special dialing procedure on any mobile device. Forexample, the first responder may use a TPA-registered mobile device todial the number of the mobile device to be “deputized” followed by *272(any dialing prefix or postscript may be used). When this call isreceived by the MSC 104, the *272 prefix or postscript is recognized asindicating that the dialed number is to be treated as a temporaryTPA-authorized mobile device, allowing it to store the unique ID of thecalled mobile device in a database for tracking such temporary TPAauthorizations. Using this capability, a first responder can quicklydeputize one or more volunteers simply by calling their numbers.

In still a further embodiment, emergency response personnel whoseposition does not rise to the level of qualifying for pre-registrationTPA service or PIN may still be the first emergency personnel on thescene of an emergency situation. The user may use his/her nonpre-registered mobile device to initiate a *272 special dialingprocedure. The call may be forwarded to a PSAP which may issue atemporary PIN and add the mobile device to the database of temporary TPAauthorizations.

Alternatively, if the user initiates a *272 special dialing (or similardialing procedure such as 911), the call may be forwarded to a PSAP. Inlarge scale crisis situations, the answering PSAP may be disabled orunable to answer quickly due to the large incoming call volume. In suchsituations, if the *272 call is not answered by the PSAP within apredetermined timeframe, a temporary TPA authorization may beautomatically issued. Since the circumstances surrounding the issuanceof the temporary TPA authorization have not been fully analyzed by aPSAP operator, it is unclear whether the user receiving the temporaryTPA authorization is properly authorized. Accordingly, the temporary TPAauthorization may be flagged on the PSAP monitor for possibledeactivation.

In a further embodiment, the cellular network is configured to givecalls from a TPA-registered mobile device and (optionally) temporaryTPA-authorized mobile devices priority when dialing to a civilian (i.e.,non-TPA authorized) mobile device within the cell zone(s) implementingTPA operations. When such a call is made, the MSC 104 is programmed toroute the call to the dialed mobile device through the communicationchannel or channels allocated to TPA operation. If a TPA-allocatedchannel is at capacity when the call from a TPA-authorized mobile deviceis received for a civilian mobile device, another civilian mobile devicecall is dropped in order to provide sufficient capacity to complete thecall, with the associated preemption process being used to preventanother 911 call from being dropped. This embodiment gives emergencypersonnel the ability to dial-into an emergency. For example, emergencypersonnel can use this capacity to call back a civilian who initiallycalled 911 to report an emergency in order to request an update from apotential eye witness. As another example, a first responder can callvolunteers within the emergency scene without deputizing their phones,assured of being able to reach the volunteers even though thecommunications network is otherwise overwhelmed.

TPA operations may be implemented in two embodiments of the presentinvention. In a first embodiment described below with reference to FIG.6, one or more cellular communication channels are dedicating to TPAcalls, providing emergency personnel with dedicated communicationcapacity while leaving the remaining communication channels to thegeneral public. In a second embodiment described below with reference toFIG. 7, call preemption for TPA calls is implemented only as a TPAallocated communication channel reaches capacity. These embodiments aredescribed separately below.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example process flow of steps that may be taken toimplement the first embodiment of TPA. During normal operations,cellular communication network call volume is monitored, step 201. Inparticular, the cellular communication network call volume (or number ofaccess requests or engaged bandwidth) are compared against apredetermined threshold (for example 85% of maximum capacity), step 202.If the call volume is below the predetermined threshold a normalsituation is assumed to exist, so the monitoring process returns to step201 to continue monitor call volume. If, however, the call volume (ornumber of access requests or engaged bandwidth) exceeds thepredetermined threshold, an abnormal situation exists which may indicatethat an emergency situation is unfolding. To prepare for an emergencysituation, network resources (e.g., communication channels on aparticular base station antenna) are partitioned and reserved for TPAuse, step 203. By automatically allocating a communication channel toTPA use, the system permits a TPA-authorized mobile device to gainaccess to the network, even when the network is otherwise overloaded.However, TPA preemption does not occur until a TPA-qualified callerattempts to access an overloaded network.

Since the increased call volume may or may not be in response to anemergency situation, a communication channel allocated to TPA continuesto function normally, handling civilian (i.e., non-TPA) calls in theordinary fashion. In instances where the increased call volume is simplydue to coincidental network requests and no TPA-qualified user isattempting to place a call, call preemption enabled by TPA is notneeded. Thus, the TPA threshold may be exceeded and TPA implemented evenwhen there is no actual emergency incident. Delaying actualimplementation of TPA preemption until the service is required by afirst responder increases the reliability of the network under normalcircumstances.

The system may be informed that an actual emergency situation isoccurring by a TPA-authorized emergency response personnel placing a TPAcall within the affected cell zone. When the communication channel is inTPA mode, the cellular system (be it at the base station, BSC/RNC/MSC,or in a central location such as a NOC) monitors incoming and outgoingcalls to determine whether any emergency response personnel is using aTPA-pre-registered mobile device or has completed a special dialingprocedure invoking TPA preemption, step 204. If no emergency responsepersonnel has initiated a call using a TPA-authorized mobile device orthe special dialing procedure, then the system continues to monitoraccess requests, step 204, as well as call volume, step 201, todetermine if the communication channel should be released from TPAoperation, step 202.

If a call is initiated by a TPA-authorized mobile device, or if the callis generated from a non pre-registered mobile device using the *272dialing procedure TPA is initiated, step 205. When TPA is initiated,step 205, only emergency personnel previously registered or givenclearance “on the fly” will be permitted access to the partitioned andreserved network resources. As noted above, TPA will normally beimplemented on a single communication channel initially, leaving theremaining channels to general public use. Then, if TPA-use exceeds thecapacity of the TPA-allocated network resources another resource can beconverted to TPA operation. By dedicating network resources to emergencypersonnel use one channel or one resource at a time, the remainingnetwork resources are left available for non-essential general publicuse. In addition, by dedicating network resources for emergencypersonnel communication, emergency personnel are able to both send andreceive calls on their mobile devices.

In an optional embodiment, upon the initiation of TPA, step 205, the MSC104 may survey the mobile devices 101 located within the affected cellor serviced by other base station antennae 102 within the same BSC/RNC103, to identify all registered or temporarily registered firstresponders. These first responders may then be advised via

SMS message (or other methods) that they can utilize the TPA service byplacing a call or using the special dialing procedure, step 206.

In a further optional embodiment, the base station 102, BSC/RNC 103, orMSC 104 may also send messages to all non-emergency mobile devices101(a-g) within the affected area/cell 100 advising them to avoid usingtheir mobile device 101(a-g) except for Emergency 911 calls and toindicate that emergency services have been notified, step 207. Thismessaging may be initiated by the PSAP responsible for the incidentarea, by the local incident Command and Control authority, or by thenetwork service provider. Such messages may be delivered via SMS messageor other communication means. The system may also notify callersconnected to the channel allocated to TPA use that their calls are beingterminated prior to disconnecting the calls.

As the emergency situation continues to unfold and additional emergencyresponse personnel appear on the scene, additional network resources maybe required to support emergency personnel communication. Accordingly,the partitioned and dedicated network resource may be monitored todetermine if additional network resources should be partitioned andallocated to TPA. This may be accomplished by comparing the call volumeon the partitioned and dedicated network resource to a predefinedmaximum or minimum threshold, step 208. If call volume exceeds apredefined maximum (indicating an escalating situation), for example 25%usage of the partitioned and dedicated network resources in the cellsite/sector, additional dedicated network resources may be partitionedto TPA operation, step 211, to allow emergency response personnel tocommunicate.

In an embodiment, before terminating calls in order to allocate theadditional channel to TPA operation, non-essential (i.e., non-emergencypersonnel) mobile devices 101 that have a call or data sessions inprogress with the allocated channel may be informed with a warning toneand/or recorded announcement that their call is being terminated unlessa defined code is entered, step 210. This permits first responders tomaintain their calls by quickly entering a code (e.g., their PIN). If anin process call is an emergency 911 call, the defined code may besupplied by a PSAP.

In an embodiment, the system will continue to automatically retrieve andre-allocate network resources for emergency response personnelcommunication until all available network resources are dedicated toemergency response personnel use. Such an embodiment will maximizecommunication capabilities of emergency response personnel. Otherembodiments may reserve at least a minimum portion of network resource(e.g., one communication channel) to enable the general public theability to alert emergency response personnel to new or developingemergency situation, such as by placing 911 calls. Accordingly, otherembodiments may impose maximum limits to the amount of network resourcesthat are taken away from the general population and dedicated toemergency response personnel communication. To accomplish this, the MSC104 may determine whether the maximum amount of network resources havebeen partitioned and dedicated to emergency response personnelcommunication, step 209. If the maximum amount of network resources havealready been partitioned and dedicated, then the MSC 104 will continueto monitor the level of utilization of the partitioned and dedicatednetwork resources, step 208. If the maximum amount of network resourcesthat can be partitioned and dedicated has not been reached, then the MSC104 may (optionally) inform current callers that calls are beingterminated, step 210, and reallocate network resources from generalpopulation usage to emergency response personnel communication use, step211. Once the additional communication channel has been dedicated, theMCS 104 will return to monitoring the level of utilization of thepartitioned and dedicated network resources to determine if theemergency situation is escalating or de-escalating, step 208.

As emergency response personnel work to alleviate the emergency incidentand return conditions to normal, the need for network resources willdecrease as emergency personnel exit the scene. To enable the system toreturn to normal operations, the MSC 104 may continually monitor thecall volume on the partitioned and dedicated network resources for anindication of escalation or de-escalation, step 208. When the level ofuse of the partitioned and dedicated network resource drops below apredefined minimum the MSC 104 may begin to re-allocate networkresources back to general public usage, step 212. Network resources maybe automatically re-allocated channel by channel, incrementally reducingthe resources allocated to emergency personnel usage, returning tonormal operations in a stepwise fashion. By demobilizing networkresources one channel or network resource at a time, the embodimentprovides a flexible communication system which may adapt to thesituation as it evolves. If the situation requires more or less networkresources for emergency personnel communication, the embodiment systemand method can meet the demand while still providing some networkresources for the general public to use. The system may wait for aperiod of time after each release of a TPA-dedicated channel in order toaccommodate surges in emergency personnel use during the event wind-downphase, thereby avoiding having to repeat the process of droppingcallers, step 210, unnecessarily.

Once the cellular communication channel has been re-allocated forgeneral public usage, the MSC 104 determines if there are any morenetwork resources that are currently partitioned and dedicated foremergency personnel communication, step 213. If additional networkresources are currently partitioned and dedicated for emergencypersonnel communication, the MSC 104 returns to step 208 to determinewhether the emergency situation is escalating or de-escalating. As theemergency situation further de-escalates and returns to normal,emergency response personnel require less and less network resources tosupport their communications. Thus, the MSC 104 will continue toautomatically re-allocate network resources to general public usage inresponse to call volume, step 212, until all network resources are innormal operating configuration for general public use. The MSC 104 thenreturns to step 201 to monitor call volume waiting for the nextemergency situation.

In the second embodiment, illustrated in the process flow diagram inFIG. 7, network resources are incrementally allocated to TPA use atlevel of individual calls by way of call preemption so that publicaccess to the network is maximized while meeting emergency personnel userequirements. During normal operations, cellular communication networkusage is monitored, step 302. Network access requests, call volume orengaged bandwidth may be compared to a predetermined threshold (forexample 85% of maximum capacity), step 304. If the usage is below thepredetermined threshold, a normal situation is assumed to exist, so themonitoring process returns to step 302 to continue monitoring callvolume. If, however, the usage exceeds the predetermined threshold, anabnormal situation exists which may indicate that an emergency situationis unfolding. To prepare for an emergency situation, network resources,such as a communication channel on an affected base station antenna, arepartitioned and reserved for TPA use, step 306. By automaticallyallocating a communication channel to TPA use, the system permits aTPA-authorized mobile device to gain access to the network, even whenthe network is otherwise overloaded. However, TPA preemption does notoccur until a TPA-qualified caller attempts to access an overloadednetwork.

Since the increased call volume may or may not be in response to anemergency situation, a communication channel allocated to TPA continuesto function normally, handling civilian (i.e., non-TPA) calls in theordinary fashion. In instances where the increased call volume is simplydue to coincidental call volume and no TPA-qualified user is attemptingto place a call, call preemption enabled by TPA is not needed. Thus, theTPA threshold may be exceeded and TPA implemented even when TPA callpreemption is not required. Delaying actual implementation of TPApreemption until preemption is required by a first responder increasesthe reliability of the network under normal circumstances.

With a network resource allocated to TPA operation, the cellular system(be it at the base station, BSC/RNC or in a central location such as anMSC) monitors incoming and outgoing calls, step 308. The TPA-allocatedchannel continues to function as a normal cellular communication channeluntil (a) the channel is at capacity (i.e., current call volume throughthe channel equals its maximum capacity) and (b) a TPA-qualified mobiledevice attempts to access the network to place or receive a call. Callvolume on the TPA-allocated communication channel is monitored todetermine if a call must be dropped in order to connect a TPA-qualifiedcall. Thus, when a new call is received (incoming or outgoing) that willbe allocated to the TPA-allocated channel, the system may firstdetermine if that channel is presently at capacity (i.e., has as manycalls connected as the channel can reliably maintain), step 310. If thechannel is not at capacity (i.e., there is excess capacity on thenetwork), the call may be connected, step 315. This monitoring of theTPA channel will prevent disconnecting a civilian call if sufficientcapacity exists on the channel to enable connection of a new incoming oroutgoing TPA call.

As discussed above, the system can recognize a TPA-authorized call bydetermining if the source or destination mobile device is aTPA-registered mobile device, step 312, and if not by the callercompleting a special dialing procedure invoking TPA preemption, step316. If the caller is using (or the call is placed to) a TPA-registeredmobile device, at least one non-TPA call connected on the TPA-allocatedchannel, step 314, in order to release capacity sufficient to connectthe TPA call, step 315. This allows the TPA-qualified first responder tomake a call without delay even though the network is at capacity.Similarly, if an incoming call is directed to a TPA-qualified mobiledevice, at least one non-TPA call on the TPA channel is terminated inorder to connect the incoming call to the TPA-qualified mobile device.The process of terminating non-TPA calls from the allocated channel willcontinue as more calls to TPA-qualified mobile devices access thenetwork.

If the caller is not using a TPA-registered phone and did not enter a*272 type dialing sequence, then the call is blocked, step 320, as anon-emergency call at a time when system resources are at capacity. Ifthe caller has entered the special dialing sequence (such as *272 plus aPIN), the entered PIN is compared to PIN values stored in a database(e.g., at the base station 102, BSC/RNC 103, or MSC 104,), step 318. Ifthe PIN matches a registered emergency personnel, a non-TPA callconnected on the TPA allocated channel may be disconnected, step 314, inorder to release capacity sufficient to connect the TPA call, step 315.

The system will also monitor call volume on the TPA-allocated channel,step 322 to ensure sufficient capacity remains to accommodate furtheremergency personnel requirements. TPA-call volume (i.e., the volume ofcalls to/from TPA-qualified mobile devices) on a TPA-allocatedcommunication channel may be compared to a threshold value in step 322to determine when to allocate another communication channel to TPA use.If the TPA call volume threshold is exceeded (i.e., test 322=“Yes”),another channel will be allocated to TPA functions step 306 (seedescription of this step above).

TPA-call volume on each TPA-allocated channel, step 322, as well as callvolume on all channels, step 324, continue to be monitored to determinewhen TPA calls are no longer being made, as will occur when theemergency is resolved and first responders leave the scene, or whentotal call volume returns to a level at which TPA operation is no longerrequired. If call volume continues to exceed the TPA threshold, then thesystem will continue to operate at least one channel in TPA mode,accepting calls, step 308, checking for TPA channel call volume, step310 and connecting calls, step 315, if the call is from/to a TPAauthorized mobile device step 312 or if call volume is less thancapacity. As TPA-call volume declines, the number of channels allocatedto TPA-operation can be reduced by releasing a TPA channel, step 326.The monitoring call volume and releasing of channels from TPA allocationwill continue until all communication channels are returned to normaloperations. Also, if call volume on non-TPA channels drops back tonormal, the system may deactivate TPA operation on all allocatedchannels since the normal capacity of the network can accommodateTPA-qualified callers without the need for TPA preemption.

This second embodiment allows TPA-allocated channels to be operated in afashion that ensure every TPA-authorized caller can access the networkwhile providing maximum bandwidth possible to the general public.Monitoring of TPA channel call volume allows the system to avoiddropping civilian calls if sufficient capacity exists on the channel toenable connection of a new incoming or outgoing TPA call. If noemergency response personnel has initiated a call using a TPA-authorizedmobile device or the special dialing procedure, then the systemcontinues to monitor access requests, step 308, as well as the callvolume, step 324, to determine if the communication channel should bereleased from TPA operation, step 326.

An additional embodiment provides prioritizing access to TPA-dedicatednetwork resources to enable highest priority callers to use the cellularcommunication network. In a situation where the number of emergencyresponders can exceed the capacity of the cellular network resources,this embodiment enables high priority users, such as national leadershipand on-site commanders, to preempt other, lower priority users in orderto gain instant access to the network. High priority users can use theirpre-registered mobile devices to gain access to the network. The uniqueID of their mobile devices can be used to determine the priority of theuser from a database of unique IDs. Similarly, high priority users canidentify themselves to the network using the special dialing procedure,with their PIN providing sufficient information for the network (e.g.,the MSC 104) to determine the priority of the user from a database ofPINs. Using the priority value determined from a database, the network(e.g., the MSC 104) can determine whether the present caller has ahigher priority than any callers already connected to TPA-allocatednetwork resources. Assuming the mobile device 101 is properlyauthorized, the call will be given priority in the queue on theTPA-allocated network resource so that the emergency personnel memberusing the pre-registered authorized mobile device will be able tocomplete the call. If the network resource is at capacity, a call from aperson with a lower priority level may be dropped in order to free upsufficient capacity to complete the call.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example hierarchy of emergency response personnel.As shown in FIG. 8, Executive Leaders and Policy Makers 801 may be givenhighest priority status. Members of this class cab pre-register theirmobile devices 101 such that the mobile device 101 unique identifier isstored in a hierarchy database. If a call is placed from any mobiledevice pre-registered to a member of the executive leader and policymaker class 801, the call is placed first in any queue of partitionedand dedicated network resources. Similarly, Disaster Response/MilitaryCommand and Control personnel 802 may be provided the next highestpriority class. Lower level priority may be afforded to line police andfirefighters 806 and emergency medical technicians 807. In all cases,mobile devices may be pre-registered so their unique identifiers and/orthe user's PIN can be stored in a hierarchy database to support thisembodiment.

The foregoing embodiments may also be implemented in a cellular systemusing a deployable “switch on wheels” cellular communication system.Since such systems may be implemented in large scale emergency/disastersituations with access limited to emergency responders and commandauthority, network overload will occur from too many authorized (i.e.,non-civilian) users placing calls at the same time. To ensure reliablecommunications in such cases, the deployable switch on wheels canimplement the caller priority embodiment so that callers with highestpriority (e.g., national and regional commanders) have assured access tocellular communications, while lowest priority authorized users may bedisconnected if necessary. In this embodiment, a database of authorizedusers indicating individual priority (hierarchy) levels (e.g.,illustrated in FIG. 8) may be maintained in a server within thedeployable switch on wheels.

The foregoing embodiments have been described as being implemented bythe MSC 104. One of skill in the art would appreciate that the foregoingembodiments may be implemented within a number computer switching systemelements within the cellular communications network, including but notlimited to the base station 102, BSC/RNC 103 or NOC. Monitoring of callvolume on communication channels and within a cell is performedautomatically already. Such systems may be reprogrammed to implement theforegoing embodiments so that the implementation of TPA operations isperformed automatically. Thus, the system can automatically recognizewhen call volumes exceed thresholds so that a communication channelshould be allocated to TPA operation. The system can further recognizeTPA authorized calls as described above and dedicate network resourcesand perform the call connections and disconnections described aboveautomatically. Similarly, as call volume declines below the TPAthreshold levels, the systems can automatically return the network tonormal configuration. In this manner, the cellular communication networkcan respond to emergency situations to enable assured communications foremergency personnel without the need for human action or intervention.For example, even if an event goes unreported (e.g., no one bothers todial 911), the system will nevertheless respond to excess call volume toenable an emergency responder to use the network. This capability alsoensures police, fire and EMT personnel (typical individuals who may beauthorized to implement TPA) can use the cellular communication networkduring times of peak usage, such as during rush hour on the freeway orfollowing conclusion of a major sporting event.

The hardware used to implement the forgoing embodiments may beprocessing elements and memory elements configured to execute a set ofinstructions, wherein the set of instructions are for performing methodsteps corresponding to the above methods. Such processing and memoryelements may be in the form of computer-operated switches, servers,workstations and other computer systems used in cellular communicationscenters and remote facilities (e.g., base station antenna locations).Some steps or methods may be performed by circuitry that is specific toa given function.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the variousillustrative logical blocks, modules, computer systems, and algorithmsteps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein maybe implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, orcombinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability ofhardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules,and steps have been described above generally in terms of theirfunctionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware,firmware, or software depends upon the particular application and designconstraints imposed on the overall system. Those of ordinary skill inthe art may implement the described functionality in varying ways foreach particular application, but such implementation decisions shouldnot be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the presentinvention.

The steps of a method or algorithm described in connection with theembodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in asoftware module executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two.The software module may reside in a processor readable storage mediumand/or processor readable memory both of which may be any of RAM memory,flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, harddisk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other tangible form of datastorage medium known in the art. Moreover, the processor readable memorymay comprise more than one memory chip, memory internal to the processorchip, in separate memory chips, and combinations of different types ofmemory such as flash memory and RAM memory.

The foregoing description of the various embodiments is provided toenable any person skilled in the art to make or use the presentinvention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readilyapparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles definedherein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from thespirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is notintended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, and instead theclaims should be accorded the widest scope consistent with theprinciples and novel features disclosed herein.

1. A communication method, comprising: allocating a subset of aplurality of wireless network resources for use by mobile devices ofauthorized emergency personnel; allowing general access to the allocatedsubset of wireless network resources so long as no call is made from orto an authorized emergency personnel mobile device; monitoring theallocated network resources to determine if call volume is at or nearcapacity of the allocated network resources; monitoring incoming andoutgoing calls to determine if a new call is to or from an authorizedemergency personnel mobile device; disconnecting an ongoing generalaccess call in response to determining that call volume is at or nearcapacity and determining that a new call is to or from the authorizedemergency personnel mobile device; and connecting the new call to orfrom the authorized emergency personnel mobile device to the allocatedwireless network resources.
 2. The communication method of claim 1,wherein determining if a new call is to or from an authorized emergencypersonnel mobile device comprises recognizing the authorized emergencypersonnel mobile device as a pre-registered tiered priority access (TPA)authorized mobile device from a mobile device identification value inputon the authorized emergency personnel mobile device.
 3. Thecommunication method of claim 1, further comprising: automaticallyallocating an additional subset of the plurality of wireless networkresources for use by mobile devices of authorized emergency personnel inresponse to determining that call volume is at or near capacity and thatthe new call is to or from the authorized emergency personnel mobiledevice.
 4. The communication method of claim 1, further comprising:automatically releasing at least a portion of the allocated wirelessnetwork resources in response to determining that call volume is not ator near capacity.
 5. The communication method of claim 1, furthercomprising: automatically sending a communication message to a pluralityof authorized emergency personnel mobile devices in a coverage area ofthe allocated wireless network resources notifying them of theavailability of network resources.
 6. The communication method of claim5, wherein automatically sending a communication message comprisesautomatically sending at least one of a short message service (SMS)message and a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message.
 7. Thecommunication method of claim 5, further comprising: automaticallysending a communication message to a plurality of general access userswithin the coverage area of the allocated wireless network resources inresponse to determining that call volume is at or near capacity and thenew call is to or from the authorized emergency personnel mobile device.8. The communication method of claim 5, wherein disconnecting an ongoinggeneral access call in response to determining that call volume is at ornear capacity and the new call is to or from the authorized emergencypersonnel mobile device comprises: sending a mobile device associatedwith the ongoing general access call a warning message; receiving userinput on the mobile device associated with the ongoing general accesscall in response to sending the warning message; and authorizing themobile device associated with the ongoing general access call as anotherauthorized emergency personnel mobile device and disconnecting adifferent ongoing general access call in response to receiving the userinput.
 9. An emergency cellular communication system, comprising: aplurality of base stations which include a plurality of communicationchannels, each of the plurality of communication channels being capableof establishing voice and data telecommunications links with mobiledevices; a central processor coupled to the plurality of base stations,wherein the central processor is configured with processor-executableinstructions to perform operations comprising: allocating a subset of aplurality of wireless network resources for use by mobile devices ofauthorized emergency personnel; allowing general access to the allocatedsubset of wireless network resources so long as no call is made from orto an authorized emergency personnel mobile device; monitoring theallocated network resources to determine if call volume is at or nearcapacity of the allocated network resources; monitoring incoming andoutgoing calls to determine if a new call is to or from an authorizedemergency personnel mobile device; disconnecting an ongoing generalaccess call in response to determining that call volume is at or nearcapacity and determining that a new call is to or from the authorizedemergency personnel mobile device; and connecting the new call to orfrom the authorized emergency personnel mobile device to the allocatedwireless network resources.
 10. The emergency cellular communicationsystem of claim 9, wherein the central processor is configured withprocessor-executable instructions such that determining if a new call isto or from an authorized emergency personnel mobile device comprisesrecognizing the authorized emergency personnel mobile device as apre-registered tiered priority access (TPA) authorized mobile device inresponse to receiving a mobile device identification value from theauthorized emergency personnel mobile device.
 11. The emergency cellularcommunication system of claim 9, wherein the central processor isconfigured with processor-executable instructions to perform operationsfurther comprising: automatically allocating an additional subset of theplurality of wireless network resources for use by mobile devices ofauthorized emergency personnel in response to determining that callvolume is at or near capacity and that the new call is to or from theauthorized emergency personnel mobile device.
 12. The emergency cellularcommunication system of claim 9, wherein the central processor isconfigured with processor-executable instructions to perform operationsfurther comprising: automatically releasing at least a portion of theallocated wireless network resources in response to determining thatcall volume is not at or near capacity.
 13. The emergency cellularcommunication system of claim 9, wherein the central processor isconfigured with processor-executable instructions to perform operationsfurther comprising: automatically sending a communication message to aplurality of authorized emergency personnel mobile devices in a coveragearea of the allocated wireless network resources notifying them of theavailability of network resources.
 14. The emergency cellularcommunication system of claim 13, wherein the central processor isconfigured with processor-executable instructions such thatautomatically sending a communication message comprises automaticallysending at least one of a short message service (SMS) message and amultimedia messaging service (MMS) message.
 15. The emergency cellularcommunication system of claim 13, wherein the central processor isconfigured with processor-executable instructions to perform operationsfurther comprising: automatically sending a communication message to aplurality of general access users within the coverage area of theallocated wireless network resources in response to determining thatcall volume is at or near capacity and the new call is to or from theauthorized emergency personnel mobile device.
 16. The emergency cellularcommunication system of claim 13, wherein the central processor isconfigured with processor-executable instructions such thatdisconnecting an ongoing general access call in response to determiningthat call volume is at or near capacity and the new call is to or fromthe authorized emergency personnel mobile device comprises: sending amobile device associated with the ongoing general access call a warningmessage; receiving user input from the mobile device associated with theongoing general access call in response to sending the warning message;and authorizing the mobile device associated with the ongoing generalaccess call as another authorized emergency personnel mobile device anddisconnecting a different ongoing general access call in response toreceiving the user input.
 17. A non-transitory processor-readabletangible storage medium having stored thereon processor-executablesoftware instructions configured to cause a processor in a cellularcommunication network to perform operations comprising: allocating asubset of a plurality of wireless network resources for use by mobiledevices of authorized emergency personnel; allowing general access tothe allocated subset of wireless network resources so long as no call ismade from or to an authorized emergency personnel mobile device;monitoring the allocated network resources to determine if call volumeis at or near capacity of the allocated network resources; monitoringincoming and outgoing calls to determine if a new call is to or from anauthorized emergency personnel mobile device; disconnecting an ongoinggeneral access call in response to determining that call volume is at ornear capacity and determining that a new call is to or from theauthorized emergency personnel mobile device; and connecting the newcall to or from the authorized emergency personnel mobile device to theallocated wireless network resources.
 18. The non-transitoryprocessor-readable tangible storage medium of claim 17, wherein thestored processor-executable software instructions are configured tocause a processor in a cellular communication network to performoperations such that determining if a new call is to or from anauthorized emergency personnel mobile device comprises recognizing theauthorized emergency personnel mobile device as a pre-registered tieredpriority access (TPA) authorized mobile device from a mobile deviceidentification value input on the authorized emergency personnel mobiledevice.
 19. The non-transitory processor-readable tangible storagemedium of claim 17, wherein the stored processor-executable softwareinstructions are configured to cause a processor in a cellularcommunication network to perform operations comprising: automaticallyallocating an additional subset of the plurality of wireless networkresources for use by mobile devices of authorized emergency personnel inresponse to determining that call volume is at or near capacity and thatthe new call is to or from the authorized emergency personnel mobiledevice.
 20. The non-transitory processor-readable tangible storagemedium of claim 17, wherein the stored processor-executable softwareinstructions are configured to cause a processor in a cellularcommunication network to perform operations comprising: automaticallyreleasing at least a portion of the allocated wireless network resourcesin response to determining that call volume is not at or near capacity.21. The non-transitory processor-readable tangible storage medium ofclaim 17, wherein the stored processor-executable software instructionsare configured to cause a processor in a cellular communication networkto perform operations comprising: automatically sending a communicationmessage to a plurality of authorized emergency personnel mobile devicesin a coverage area of the allocated wireless network resources notifyingthem of the availability of network resources.
 22. The non-transitoryprocessor-readable tangible storage medium of claim 21, wherein thestored processor-executable software instructions are configured tocause a processor in a cellular communication network to performoperations such that automatically sending a communication messagecomprises automatically sending at least one of a short message service(SMS) message and a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message.
 23. Thenon-transitory processor-readable tangible storage medium of claim 21,wherein the stored processor-executable software instructions areconfigured to cause a processor in a cellular communication network toperform operations comprising: automatically sending a communicationmessage to a plurality of general access users within the coverage areaof the allocated wireless network resources in response to determiningthat call volume is at or near capacity and the new call is to or fromthe authorized emergency personnel mobile device.
 24. The non-transitoryprocessor-readable tangible storage medium of claim 21, wherein thestored processor-executable software instructions are configured tocause a processor in a cellular communication network to performoperations such that disconnecting an ongoing general access call inresponse to determining that call volume is at or near capacity and thenew call is to or from the authorized emergency personnel mobile devicecomprises: sending a mobile device associated with the ongoing generalaccess call a warning message; receiving user input from the mobiledevice associated with the ongoing general access call in response tosending the warning message; and authorizing the mobile deviceassociated with the ongoing general access call as another authorizedemergency personnel mobile device and disconnecting a different ongoinggeneral access call in response to receiving the user input.